


The Enthralling Tales of Motherhood

by r0_0se



Category: Homestuck
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-10-16
Updated: 2018-10-16
Packaged: 2019-08-03 04:18:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 6,051
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16319030
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/r0_0se/pseuds/r0_0se
Summary: In which Feferi Peixes cannot kill a mutant, and it's all downhill from there.





	1. Glub

"Oh, glub."  
Its wails swirled through her chambers, each unbearably loud whimper punctuating itself with a choked, infinitesimal sob.  
It was scarily small, able to fit in the palm of her hand like little more than a bug.  
She could close her first right now, and that would be it.  
It would be over.  
Yet she found herself unable to keep her magenta eyes from lingering on its candy red ones, squeezed and squinted with garnet-shaded tears that stained her palms in filth.  
'Kill it,' They had said.  
The last mutant.  
Everything about the grub was twisted and wrong, the exact thing she had been told time and time again to exterminate.  
Her other hand, which grasped her trident so rigidly her knuckles had began bruising coral, raised above her head, readying the killing blow.  
Do it, she urged herself. Kill the grub.  
The terrible surge its howls gave her stomach swelled up to her chest like the spread of a disease, and before she could stop herself she heard the jewl-rimmed weapon clatter to the ground.  
No.  
She wouldn't.  
Slowly, her hand lowered, sliding underneath the grub to hold him securely to her chest.  
Steadily, his cries abated to whimpers, then soft huffs of satisfaction at the cool envelope of her around him.  
Glub, she cursed.  
She wasn't a lusus. She wasn't even a jade!  
To pardon a mutant at all would inspire hatred, but to raise one? It could start a revolution!  
Her mind drowned in the irrationality of it all. Then he squirmed, and she cradled him with her other arm as well as he waned into slumber, knowing full well he wasn't going to die.  
Not with her around.  
She is Feferi Pexies, empress of the Alternian empire, and she can do it.  
Shes conquered seas, wrestled beasts, and killed the woman that came before her-  
She can raise a grub.  
How hard could it be?


	2. Karkat Peixes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Feferi and her moirail have a discussion, and help from a Jadeblood is commissioned.

"A Protégé?.." He growled, his disdain for the idea leaking venomously into his words,  
"Fef, this is unbelievvably stupid."   
Her 'advisor', Eridan Ampora, sat with his hand pressed to his cheek, dark eyes staring at the grub swaddled in fuchsia with unreadability written upon his face.   
Feferi trilled, her fins lashing as the brittle sound struck her as unfamiliar.  
It occurs to her that they hadn't communed in seadweller for sweeps.  
She held Grubby (temporary name) within her grasps, fingers nervously twiddling with the blanket that covered his mutated form,  
"That's empress, to you." She dutifully reminded, and even within her joking tone he huffed,  
"I'm just sayin', Fef, wwhat goodd wwill it do to raise some grub so it can cull you? It shoulda been dead by now anyhoww, 'Empress', your rule just started for glubs sake!..."  
She tsked at him, sliding into her throne and refocusing her glance to the grubs sleeping figure,  
"Shut it, Eri. Just hush. I'm going to do it, and you can't stop me. I only told you about it because your my friend, not my advisor!!..."  
Now he stood from his wall-bound chair, brow pushing angrily together as he struggled to keep his cool.  
She was his superior, after all.  
"I ain't 'advvising' this, Fef! I'm orderin' it, as your-" His voice lowered slightly, "-moirail! I ain't got a clue what I would do if some prodigy wriggler came along and culled you."  
Feferi found herself sighing, the guilt of lying to her very best friend settling upon her like bricks.  
She pittied Eridan more than anyone else, save little Grubby, who had begun to stirr in the midst of all the commotion.  
But she couldn't entrust him with such a secret.  
He would murder the child before she could blink.  
"You are dismissed Eridan." Softly wrang her voice, against a silence so obtuse not even her trident could penetrate it.  
"But-" He began to resist, stepping forward with pleading lilac swirling in his eyes.  
"Eridan."   
He's just worried, of course. But she couldn't even begin to describe what this meant to her, and it isn't as though he would take that into account regardless.  
With a theatrical flap of his cape, he stormed away, leaving her throne room in undisturbed silence.  
Before she had any time to ponder, however, Grubby resumed his thunderous weeps,  
"Shhh, c'mon little guy! We can't have you making a scene like this just yet."  
His cries subtly died off with each careful stroke of his silken hair, but he still squirmed and sniffled in agitation.  
He's hungry. Of course he is.   
Oh goodness, what is she thinking? She doesn't have the first clue how to care for a grub!  
She needs someone with more..  
Experience.  
"..Hmm..."  
With an unusually grim sigh, she stood, walking her ships long corridors back to her chambers.  
From said chambers, she fashioned herself with a fairly common looking cloak, awkwardly using the garment she swaddled the child with as a sort of makeshift carrier.  
Closing her garment proactively around him, she approached the door her moirail stormed out of minutes ago, one of the less nervous indigoblooded guards raising his brow,  
"Just out for a walk! Such perfect weather, don't you agree?..."  
He looked a little thunderstruck, as most did when it struck her to speak to them.  
The harsh bang of acetous rain that had been falling throughout the night still persisted, and both trolls looked up half-anxiously, as if they expected her to say, 'Come along with me, then!...'  
Instead, she simply pandered through the door, smiling at the perceived lack of conflict,  
"I'll be off!..."  
That should deter them from following.  
Striding quickly through the acidic showers, she basked in the familiar feeling.  
Just like home, albeit more sardonic.  
Grubby grasped the strap of her black tunic, struggling up and pestering for her stolen attention. Giggling, she lifted him higher, careful to protect his tiny form from the stinging liquid that seemed to pour endlessly.  
Of course, this simply being a walk was yet another lie, although one more of omission than that of outright falsehood.  
Over the rolling hills, glistening clearly in the distance, were winding caverns hustling with new life.  
Inside these caverns, she would find someone far more well-equipped than she. Someone who would do as told.  
A jadeblood.  
Her body was sufficiently drenched by the time she stepped inside the caves protective walls.  
At first, there were several shouts, what few jadebloods lingering around the entrance telling her she needed to immediately leave.  
She couldn't help but chuckle a little. People were always so rude until they realized who she was!  
They froze when she shook away her hood, immediately looking terrified and confused in regards to her presence,  
"Somebody get me the head jade around here-"  
Breifly, she considered adding a please to the end of that statement, but several bodies rushing away from her to do as ordered didn't give her the time. Jadebloods were always so frigid, and she sharply exhaled.   
An impatient awkwardness written on her face, she leaned against a wall, rewrapping Grubby in the garments that she had slung over her shoulder and cautiously beginning to rock him.  
He seemed to enjoy the movement, mimicking the trillings she had earlier displayed.  
Cute!  
Finally, a tall troll sternly protesting the many jades rushing her was dragged into view, her sharp eyes looking down with dissapointment,  
"Girls, as much as I can appreciate a good jape, this is really not the time for-"  
Swiftly, she ceased speaking, emerald pupils growing at Feferis sudden appearance,  
"M-My Empress!.." The jade stuttered, clearly taken aback as she shakily bowed,  
"How may I be of assistance?..."  
At first, Feferi slunk away at such treatment, before feeling Grubby flinch in her arms at the brisk movement.  
She was her for a reason.  
"Miss-" Feferi paused, looking at the jade expectantly.  
"Kanaya Maryam." Kanaya answered simply, and Feferi nodded,  
"Miss Maryam, please fetch everything necessary you have on hand to care for a grub and come with me."  
Kanayas face scrunched, arms wrapping around herself as she struggled against protest,  
"Right away." She said, swiveling on her heel dutifully to do as told.  
Several jades glared at her from the sidelines, others going back to work as they all awaited miss Maryams return.  
When the jade did hurry back, she too was draped in a long, lavish green cloak, giving several of the jades hugs and even ordering one to take care of the caverns in her absence.  
Again pulled that little feeling of guilt, for taking someone so vital away from her job for something that wasn't even supposed to exist-  
Her pity for a little mutant.  
Guilty as she was, she couldn't afford to regret it for a moment.  
And she didn't.  
Signalling for her to follow, Feferi sprightly twisted out the grotto, readjusting her hood upon her head and listening for the jades agile footsteps.  
Kanaya was moving anxiously behind the baroness, feeling both fearful and curious as to what her purposes were.  
Feferis predecessor, whoms name is considered somewhat taboo to even utter, never bothered to do anything personally, no matter what the trouble.  
It seemed things were to stay more or less the same, too, even if Feferi was comparatively less heinous.  
Then the seadweller slowed, the sight of her massive ship (which was more of a portable palace if anything) coming into view,  
"Do not speak to anyone-" as if she even would, "-until reaching my chambers, understood?..."  
Kanayas face flushed an embarrassed green, but she nodded despite herself, simply continuing to follow the the seadwellers lead.  
They entered in total quiet, each steady drop of water being rushed into sanitation by a trail of rustbloods falling from cracks in the wall.  
Kanaya saw Feferis annoyance, but stayed benevolently silent, doing her best to keep up with each swirling hall they took.  
Finally, they reached two tall red doors, and the girls entered tensely.  
Kanaya was radio silent.  
Uncertainly, Feferi removed her cloak, the abrupt withdrawl of warmth causing Grubby to shriek and cry.  
Without thinking, Kanaya rushed over, watching as Feferis shaking hands unwrapped the blanket to reveal his bright red larval form.  
"A m..." The Jadebloods eyes sparkled, crouching to better examine him,  
"mutant?.."  
Feferi giggled, shoulders slightly untensing as Kanaya glowed in wonder,  
"Yes! I- require a little help. Do you think-"   
Kanaya whipped up, nodding profusely,  
"Well, absolutely! I remember this one, we-"   
Face crinkling, her head shook,  
"My apologies, mam."  
Looking dissaponted, Feferi gently held Grubby out,  
"No need, what were you saying, Kanaya?..."  
Kanayas eyes narrowed, taking Grubby with deep care written upon her features. His cries dampered, slightly, blinking up at her in half-bewilderment,  
"We called him Karkat."  
"Karkat?.."  
"Yes." Kanaya paused, quickly adding-  
"Mam'."  
Feferi nodded, fingertips twining again into the grubs hair,  
"Karkat...Peixes. It's nice."  
As if suddenly understanding something, the jadeblood slowly nodded,  
"Yes. Yes, it is."


	3. We Need To Talk

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eridan crosses a line.

The city was no place for a grub.  
Kanaya made this very clear when Feferi set out for a stroll in the busy streets near their landing, attesting her disdain for the city despite never having visited ("I've heard enough, frankly.").  
It was odd, being without Karkat for even a little while, but Kanaya was insistent on her getting a break regardless. 

The streets were in a constant hustle of activity, even near dawns break, filled to the brim with sleazy shops and smoke-filled bars.  
As always, Feferi leaned against the wooden structure stacked full of newspapers with her hand outstretched.  
Usually the news was somewhat meaningless, but still an interesting treat for someone so detached from societies norms.

After the yellowblooded shopkeep finished scrambling about for the latest issue, she waltzed off again, tossing a coin half-hazardously in his direction. The walk back to her ship was peaceful, but filled with an unusual anticipation to see her 'family' again.

The papers headline read 'Fuschia grub to take over the heiress', with several exaggerated points of exclamation following.  
The fact that people still called her 'The Heiress' made her giggle a little, but the rest of the paper was read with an unrelenting seriousness. 

She re-entered her champers more stressed than before, lightening only at the sight of Kanaya and Karkat on the floor together playing.   
She was on her hands and knees, growling and roaring to Karkats snorts and imitations.  
Feferi laughed audibly, attracting both trolls attention as she descended to join them. Karkat trilled, worming his way into her lap and pushing aggressively into her hand.

Feferi hummed, playing with his hair and horns as Kanaya pushed herself up,  
"How was your stroll, mistress?.."  
Feferis face fell, eyes remaining focused down to the grub,  
"Not great, Kan. There was just glubbin awful news,"  
Kanayas emerald eyes widened, brow pushing together.  
"People know I have a 'protege', and well..aren't really thrilled about it."  
The Jadeblood tapped her fingers against the cool ground, looking thoughtful,  
"I see. How, do you suppose, did this news get out?..."

Now Feferi looked contemplative, bright pink cogs spinning a-mile-a-minute. Finally, she looked briskly up,   
"Eridan!.."  
Grimly, Kanaya nodded,  
"Your moirail, then? Perhaps you should h-"   
She was cut off by Feferis quick move to stand, planting a quick kiss on Karkats head and planting him back in her arms,  
"Sorry, Karkitty, I'll be right back, okay? Momma has to have a few words with her moirail."  
And just like that, she was off again.

Time to pay Eridan a visit.

Feferi banged on his castle door like a kismesis in the rain, unsurprised to see him in his formal-wear despite just lounging around the hive.  
"Fef? What could you possibly glubbin want at this time of day."  
The sun was only beginning to rise, but leave it to her moirail to exaggerate.  
Feferis brow pushed further together, fins flapping in offense as she pointed down the hall,  
"Pile. Now. We need to talk."  
His eyes rolled, hands making a quick motion for her to follow.   
His smooth hand laced tightly in hers as he lead her down each lavish hall, and finally they reached a relatively small room filled to the brim with pillows and blankets, all stacked together into one imposing tower. 

The Pale Pile.

As always, she was first to flop shiftlessly into the stack, Eridan quickly following in a struggle for comfort in his ridiculous attire.  
"So," He stiffly began, looking uncomfortable at her icy demeanor,  
"So." She repeated, causing his face to crease tautly,  
"Glub, Fef, can you just cut to the chase, please? I got better things to do than sit here listening to you procrastinate."  
The fuschiablood turned over on her stomach to face him, fins moving back and forth with thought.

"Eri," She began, eyes suddenly flickering to him.  
His own pupils widened slightly at the sudden burst of attentiveness, and he leaned forward expectantly,  
"Did you blab to the press about Karkat!!.."

He looked visibly taken aback by the accusation, leveling backwards at her angered tone,  
"Well of-'glubbin'-course I did! The public has a right to knoww, you knoww? As if you had any plans o' tellin em'."  
Feferis face contorted with rage, hand slapping his head so hard it was hardly a pap at all.

"You listen here, Ampora! If there's one thing I know about you, it's that you don't give two lousy glubs about the public! Just three sweeps ago you were basically convinced it was it was your messiah-given birthright to kill 3/4 of the population of Alternia, you purple bastard!!..."   
He shoved her away, and she shifted her weight to allow him to do so, his free hand cupping the place she struck,  
"Wwhat do you knoww about me anymore, anyhoww? This is the first time you'vve vvisited me in swweeps, lest you actually give a 'glub' about the people in your quadrants! Maybe if you'd actually talk to me half the time shit like this wwouldn't happen, ''Empress''!.."

That seemed to do it.  
Feferi shoved him so hard he tumbled right out the pile altogether, her following down and pointing at him like a legislaserator about to convict her prey,  
"Don't you dare lecture me, Eridan Ampora! I am the Empress, I'm fucking busy ruling an entire goddamn planet!!! Maybe you should grow up, or go cry to your lusus about it!.." Her voice lowered a pitch, features softening in desperation,  
"I've tried so, so hard for you, Eridan,"  
He looked silently up at her, cape strewn messily over his shoulder and left horn bent from the impact,  
"I'm so sick of all this pettiness-  
This-  
This immaturity! If you wanted to get back at me for something, fine, but you leave my son out of it, you hear me Eridan Ampora?...."  
Slowly, face written with anger, he nodded,  
"Good."  
With a flick of her wrist, she stepped around him, growling in a low, borderline seadweller tone-  
"You are dismissed."


	4. Of Nightmares, Baking, and Lumpy Bread

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Kanaya can bake, and Feferi certainly cannot.

That night, Feferi went to bed unusually peeved about the situation that disrupted her earlier in the day.

Her mind tangled with terrors all throughout the night, which wasn't unusual when she slept unsumberged in her sopor, but something about one in particular disturbed The Empress in ways she couldn't quite identify.

It began in her room, in the days when her only concern was feeding gl'bgolyb and loving Eridan.  
All her objects were cleared away, the place in it's entirety appearing to have been scrubbed cleaner than she had ever allowed it and filled to it's visor with something she had never expected-

Grubs.  
Each of them unique and beautiful, but a thing that could condemn them on Alternia; rare.  
Mutants, and fuchsiabloods, and crippled little misfits that would be considered errors in The Mothergrubs slurry.  
And in the middle of it all, a face she could never forget-  
Her Imperious Condescension, killing each and every one of them as they crawled too close, screaming-  
"Mom!..." 

Mom.  
Feferi, even in a blurring dream, could make out the rainbow array of death, and her heart clenched.  
Moving as fast as she could, Feferi scooped up grub after grub in the wild hope it would be enough.

But it wasn't.

It never was.

The Condense, smiling the wicked smile that had never quite been erased from Feferis mind, beckoned her forward, glowering down at her like she was a mutant herself.  
"You can't save all o' those grubs, kid,"  
Spat the former Empress.

"You gotta die, first."

A feeling of dread crept up, but Feferi simply shook her head, all the grubs in her arms beginning to scream and cry,  
"No! No, I can't, I won't!.." Feferi shouted so loud her throat hurt, prickly tears welling upon her face.

"Your dead! I killed you!..."  
The woman, however, was having none of it, and with a twirl of her trident Feferi felt herself-

 

Inhale.  
A flood of moonlight fell into her chambers, the flood of sopor leaving Feferi with a heavy feeling.  
Karkats body lay safely upon her sweat-drenched chest, and his subtle fluctuations of breath made her smile.   
Things would be okay.  
After a few more moments, she arose carefully from her pod, drying herself and little Karkat off.

To Feferis suprise, Kanaya wasn't anywhere to be found, and upon awakening Karkat began wailing like a bat out of hell.  
Feferi swaddled him, realizing how early in the night it was and carefully replacing him in the pod.  
Like magic, he sputtered off into sleep again, and she sighed.

What now? 

Cautiously, she slunk out the room, careful to avoid each scurrying guard and servant on her way to the kitchen.  
Somehow, just as she'd thought, Kanaya was there, having shooed everyone else out the kitchen for clearly important work:  
Baking.

Her jade patterned sleeves were pushed up to her forearms, and she roughly punched at a lumpy purple dough spread upon the counter until her knuckles were glowing green.  
Feferi wasn't quite sure how to announce herself, but luckily she didn't have to, because Kanaya perked up almost as soon as she entered.

She couldn't help laughing at the wideness of Feferis eyes, flour-dusted fingers pushing stray strands of hair behind her ear as a blush crept to her face,  
"Sorry if I disturbed you, Feferi, I just-  
Find creating things relaxing. Unfortunately I couldn't access any fabrics at the moment, so baking was the next best thing."

Feferi smiled, approaching the counter and leaning against it as if nothing in the world was more natural,  
"No, it's fine! I was just-" she hesitated, looking caught off guard by the look she was receiving,  
"....surprised." 

Kanaya hummed, continuing to masterfully press at the dough as Feferi watched.  
It was awkward, and maybe a little silly, but Feferi found herself wanting to help.   
With uncertainty laced in every movement, she inched a little closer to a neglected corner of the breading, beginning to copy her movements,  
"Like this?..." She questioned, feeling a little dumb as Kanaya laughed.  
Sharp, melodic, every little noise having purpose and strength.  
She felt her fins twitch.

"You needn't be so feather-like with it," pulling up her her, Kanaya struck the dough fist-first,  
"Don't get it too thin, but don't allow lumps, either."  
Feferi nodded, moving over as Kanaya allowed and beginning to rough up the dough like tomorrow didn't exist.

The dough was suddenly not just itself, meaningless and inanimate-  
It was Eridan. It was The Condense. It was society. It was the drones that killed newborns and the jades that watched-  
That didn't care. That would do the same in an instant.  
Feferi punched it senseless.

Once Kanaya gave a click of satisfaction, she shooed Feferi out of the way, beginning to follow the rest of the process accordingly.  
Carefully placed in a pan, then popped in the oven, a dreamy smell began to fill the kitchen,  
"Well," Kanaya chided, dusting off her hands,  
"Shall we check on Karkat?..."

Their eyes meant, for perhaps the first time Feferi could recall, and she nodded with transfiction.


	5. Someone Finds a Mutated Grub

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> And it, surprisingly, goes well.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry about the delay! Not quite satisfied with this one, but figured i owed it to at least hurry up and release it.  
> Hope anyone reading enjoys! <3

Feferi knew, eventually, someone would find out.

The two walked back in a buzzing silence, both assuming Karkat had awoken in their absence.  
Incidentally, he had.

Feferi stepped in first.  
Kanaya, alarmed by the sudden guttural shout, followed.

Whatever she had been expecting, it was certainly not what she saw.  
Sitting on the floor was a troll so young she was barely out of her larval state, arms cradling Karkat with a wonderstruck care.

Her features shot up at the sudden adult presence, eyes darting between the two in panic.  
Kanaya took a step forward, motioning for Feferi to stay still.  
Feferis chest clenched, gills twitching in rage, but she said nothing.   
She did nothing.

The small girl attempted to shift back, body rigid and defensive of the grub cradled in her grasps.  
Kanaya blinked, looking a little muddled at the childs fear.  
Feferi almost chuckled.  
For her, the fear of anyone must be unusual.  
"Dear," She began, outstretching a hand,  
"What are you doing?.."

The rustblooded girls brow pushed together, as if not even she was sure.  
"Crying." She answered simply, once-sweet voice callused with time and abuse.   
At first they were both confused, and to clarify the lowblood simply nodded down to the grub.

Karkat gurgled and grunted, half-developed fingers clasped to her curled horns in glee.  
"Needed-" Her voice shattered into coughs, and the two adults stood deadly still as she calmed herself,  
"-help. Sopor-  
Hurting!.."

Kanaya narrowed her eyes, body shifting to face Feferi.  
Suddenly, her gaze was ice, narrowed upon the royalblood with an unforseen intensity,  
"Feferi." She began, teeth clenched,  
"You are aware he is unfit for sopor until fully developed, correct?..."

Truth be told, she wasn't aware, and suddenly felt a little angry at the jade for not informing her.  
She felt like shouting, like starting a fight, since that seemed to be Kanayas intent.  
Of course she wasn't given the chance, because when was she ever given much time to ponder anything?

The little rustblood began to laugh, scratchy little snorts with no real chime to them, and all the anger that had been boiling between them dissapated.  
The girls laughter was like a gift.

It wasn't anything hysterical, not at all, but the moment she began to laugh- so clean and natural- all three of them began to laugh too.  
Karkat gurlged, Kanaya chuckled (her laugh is clear and melodic, or so Feferi innocently observed), and Feferi giggled and glubbed as though she never had before.

Feferi had previously thought it to be impossible, falling in love with a child like she had with Karkat, but lately more than ever her horizons had been expanding (and it was clear Kanaya felt the same).  
As their laughter steadily died, the rustblood stepped forward with graceful courage, voice clearer than before as she spoke-  
"Aradia."

And so, just like that, each of their worlds grew a whole lot bigger.  
Kanaya moved cautiously closer to the two children, transporting Karkat from Aradias arms and over to her own.  
Then, as if there wasn't anything more naturual, Feferi scooped up Aradia, prompting much cleaner giggles to bubble from her throat.

Without another word, Kanaya moved to the conjoined bathroom, the fuschiablood doing her best to keep up.  
She rested Karkat on the toilet, humming and shifting her attention to the nearby bath.

"Goodness," She blinked, nose rustling,  
"I've never seen such a bedazzled ablutiontrap. Or such a bedazzled anything, for that matter."

Feferi giggled.   
It was the only thing of her predecessors she'd never bothered replacing.

As Kanaya (half-befuddled by the digital interface) began fidgeting with the tubs settings, Feferi hummed, settling Aradia upon her feet once more.  
With care not to scratch her ("lowbloods- so finicky!.."), she removed the girls tattered garments, tossing them aside in disgust.

Aradia looked confused, and Feferi didn't blame her, but she didn't object, flinching as the bathtub roared to life.  
Kanaya pulled the girl up under her arms, carefully lowering her into the green substance falling from the facet.

At first, Aradia looked tense, sitting idle as the two allowed her to familiarize with the new feeling.  
Eventually, however, she relaxed into the liquid, eyes half-closed in sudden revelation.  
She was safe.

There was, clearly, a lot of work to do.

First, Kanaya began to scrub away the dirt and dust covering her skin and burrowing into skin-deep scratches.   
Feferi couldn't help frowning, too.  
She knew the lowbloods in her ship weren't treated well relative to her, but this?  
This was ridiculous!  
She made a mental note to correct it; to correct everything.  
It wasn't like she had a moirail around to stop her anymore.

Then Kanaya began untangling her hair from her horns, protesting fitfully at the pain.  
It was, clearly, very unpleasant.  
Karkat even sobbed a little himself, clearly upset by his new friends distress (he was easy to calm once Aradia had been subdued).

Finally, she massaged shampoo into the girls tangling hair, washing it until it shined and cutting it down to a bob.  
Despite Aradias many whines during the experience, she looked beyond euphoric by the time she was pulled from the slime, body wrapped in warm towels and sat down to dry.

And had Karkat not began sobbing, they might have all fallen asleep right then and there.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which it is decided that Aradia must be educated, and her teacher arrives with a click.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whew! Sorry for the wait, this one was a doozy to write!! But without further ado (?), the next installment of Feferis motherly adventures! Now with another addition to our cast ^^.

"A tutor," Feferi hummed decisively.

It was a hot day, harsh streams of moonlight rushing through their tinted windows as Aradia sat on the floor, feeding Karkat with Kanayas guidance.  
Small pieces of bread, buttered in green were arranged on a plate beside Feferi, who was writing a document and handing them pieces at the same time.

Karkat grunted and groaned for more food, but Kanaya gave Feferi her attention undivided at the statement.  
"Do elaborate?..." She huffed pointedly, stroking Aradias shortened hair.  
Feferi giggled at her tone, leaning forward,  
"A tutor, silly! I mean, Aradia needs proper teaching. Of course Karkat is too young, but we can do the same for him when he's of age." 

The jadeblood visibly shrunk at the idea, face creasing in both worry and distress,  
"Feferi," Began she, voice a scary sort of testy,  
"Absolutely not. It's too dangerous to trust another troll with this- with him! I'm already worried enough about your 'moirail'-" Feferi began to glower at that, "-let alone somebody else!..."

Feferi shifted uncomfortably, frowning,  
"But..Kan. She needs to learn! And obviously neither of us can teach her. I'm busy with work and you already have caring for them both to do!.."  
Kanaya looked nervously defeated, eyes skidding aside,  
"Well...perhaps one of my Jades, then? We don't really specialize in teaching. More in..caring, I suppose. But maybe-"  
Feferi firmly shook her head,  
"Nooope! Sorry, Kanny, but I'm not letting you risk your jades. I..." Fef exhaled wistfully, trying not to seem guilty, "-know what they mean to you."

Kanayas nose scrunched and her face flooded green, but before she could manage a thank you Aradia was waving for more bread and Karkat was doing the same.  
When Kanayas attention returned to The Empress she was much more composed, and shifted with disdainful thought,  
"What do you suggest, then?..."

Now Feferi looked thoughtful, said thoughts seeping into words as she considered,  
"Well, obviously it needs to be someone who is gaurneteed to know everything she needs to know! So it would have to be a jade at least, but I guess...anyone higher than that would refuse to help a lowblood? Maybe we could describe her as a scribe in training! Oh, glub, but they still probably wouldn't be much help." Feferi couldn't help pouting, Kanaya humming a laugh in response and patting her back.

There were a few more indecisive moments of silence, in which Aradia handed Karkat off to Feferi in trade for laying in Kanayas lap.  
She still stroked the girls hair, smiling at her soft mutters as she lulled to sleep.  
Finally, abruptly enough to make everyone jump, Kanaya burst,  
"A teal! A legislaserator! They're gaurneteed to be well-read, but they aren't too terribly high on the spectrum. Although, I can't say I have too much experience with them..."  
Feferi sprung into joy, squealing a little,  
"Oh, Aradia! Do you hear that? Your going to learn!! Oh, aren't you excited?.."  
The little troll in question just laughed, falling forward from Kanayas lap and wrapping her arms around Feferis waist,  
"Learn, learn, learn, learn!..."  
They both began to chant zealously, Kanayas clear want to object stifled by her own laughter,  
"Yes, learn."

And Feferi did, in fact, intend to have her learn.  
Once Aradia had settled in, Karkat taking a well-earned nap on her still-fluffy locks of hair, Feferi excused herself from the room to make a call.   
As it happened, she happened to have a friend who could possibly help her out.

 

..........

 

"You sure I'm all up and understandin' what you be requesting of me here?..."  
She couldn't help but giggle at him; even after he sobered up his words seemed to slur together.

"One of your tealbloods, Gamster. Couldya spare one, the most mindful ya got?? I have some..personal work I need done."  
There was a pause on the other end, as if considering whether it would be wise to question her.

He decided against it in the end, sighing heavily and waving his hand (so massive that it could be heard on the line as it moved),  
"She'll be over soon, sis. Wouldn't wanna upset ya, but she's a little busy at the moment."  
Feferi hummed, fingers tapping against the concrete of the floor she sat upon,  
"Why wouldn't you want to upset me, because I'm your superior or your friend?.."  
A heavy chuckle, then:  
"Both."

The line disconnected with an abrupt beep, and it occurred to her that she should really get in contact with her childhood companions more often.  
She pushed herself from the cool floor of her office, already anticipating the tealbloods arrival.

And in the next few weeks, nothing happened. It was almost paradise for all of them, the amount of docile lounging they could get by with in such a large span of time.  
Wake up, feed charges, go about their pastimes, paperwork, a few trips to the ablution trap, and in no time at all the day came-  
The day of their arrival.

It was strange, honestly, the way it all went down.  
Feferi insisted every one of her staff members leave for a day off after scrubbing the ship spotless, putting on a sort of grand display in preparation.  
Ship more silent than it had been in ages and scrubbed into a glimmer, Feferi settled tensely upon her throne, as if she had any reason to be intimidated.

The teal entered so quietly it was a surprise the nodding Feferi was even given time to straighten in her throne.    
The teal conducted herself with ridgid grace, purpose in every movement. Her face was an unimpressed grimace, eyes hidden by a bright candy-red pair of shades.  
With a final, deep sniff, her evaluation of the room ceased, head snapping to face Feferi as the door slammed shut.

"Terezi Pyrope. I was informed my specialties were required, ma'm."   
Her voice was akin to the scratch of a vinyl, only hints of feminine tinge allowing it to be identified as a trollian voice at all. If she was nervous, it was well-hidden.  
Upon instinct, Feferi cleared her throat,  
"You would be correct, Miss Pyrope. I am in need of your expertise."  
Terezis face changed, features forming a mischievous smile as her fingers balled around her staff. With three harsh clicks, she began the stride forward, clicking all the while,  
"Well then, what are we waiting for?..."


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Aradia possibly gaining another mother, and certainly gaining a new teacher.

"You want me to what?.." Terezi spat, sleazy grace replaced with a confused aggression.

Feferis back straightened, her gills flaring threateningly.   
Immediately, the tealblood shrunk considerably, fingers crossing in the imperial sign,  
"My apologies, mam'-"  
"Feferi will do."  
"-Feferi. I was just confused as to the nature of this...job offer."

Feferi dropped the act. plastering a smile instead as she gestured to the room nearby,  
"Teach her. Aradia, I mean. The, er, grub. I want her to work as my personal...assistant."  
"You want me to teach her....law???.."  
Feferi almost burst out laughing.

A rustblood learning law.  
That would certainly be interesting.  
"No, no. I want you to teach her literature. Justice. She needs taught. Er...schoolfed?.."  
Terezis jaw set itself in a manner that reminded her of her moirail (Former moirail, she harshly reminded. Former.), thin eyebrows raising above her glasses,  
"I...see." 

Before she could be stopped, Terezi pushed into the room, Feferi thanking her lucky stars that Kanaya and Karkat had been moved elsewhere.  
Aradia sat on the floor with several toys surrounding her, smiling eerily as several of them were given gruesome deaths.

The rustblood emitted a series of words that resembled a condescending monologue, then proceeded to demonstrate the explosion of thousands of innocent plastic figurines.

Then, just because she can't help herself, Feferi broke into a series of laugh-infested glubs, hoping Terezi might do the same.

She didn't.  
She just stood there, watching the little girl, face devoid of all emotion.

The air was like glass and Aradia, oddly oblivious, continued her session of horrors.  
"No lusus..?.." Terezi finally asked, gloved hand adjusting her glasses,  
"None. I've- mainly been caring for her, hehe!...''

Terezis face scrunched.  
She glided forward slipping down beside Aradia like there was nothing more natural.  
Aradia flinched to face her, entire body moving into a mode of attack as her fists clenched around the dolls,  
"Where. Momma."   
Terezi cackled, head tilting towards the doorway.  
That seemed to satisfy her, because the little girl relaxed and continued playing.

She scooped up one of the contorted dolls, examining it,  
"Could I play with this gentletroll?.."  
Aradia thought for a moment, then shrugged,  
"Dead! Just body."

Terezi slammed her fist, surprising both other girls as the dolls carcase snapped back into place,  
"Not for long! I'm going around correcting all those deaths. What are you going to do, Miss Aradia?.." Terezi taunted the girl wickedly, but before Feferi could interject Aradia was howling with laughter and grabbing for the tealblood,  
"Make!! Her pay!!!!..."

And thus began young Aradias education.


End file.
